By Pam Pollan
More than 20 high-spirited ukulele players participated in the Sterling Strummers fifth anniversary concert- party held at the Sterling Senior Center on April 21. Both current and past members attended. Some wore flowers in their hair, beach hats, Hawaiian shirts and played music, had lots of laughs and really enjoyed themselves.
Among the tunes played were “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” “If I Only Had a Brain”, “Don’t Sit Under That Apple Tree,” ”Kansas City,” “Green Grass,” “Make Everyday A Ukulele Day,” “King of the Road,” “I’m Into Something Good,” “A White Sorts Coat Pink Carnation,” “The Garden Song”, “Hey Good Lookin” and they finished with “Strumming My Cares Away.” One of the sweetest songs they played was “Babyface,” which one can only imagine played to the delight of a sweetheart or grandbaby.
They were cute, but make no mistake about it, they cared about what they were doing and wanted to do it well.
Door prizes were awarded; among them were a pineapple, a grass skirt, a basket of cookies and a giant gold, number five balloon. One woman, who won the grass skirt, donated it to a fun-loving man across the room. He put it on and did the hula and got lots of laughs. After a large group portrait, each strummer got a bag of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies to take home.
Sue Dougal of Princeton said she started when the Strummers began five years ago.
“They are a great bunch of people, very loyal and play every week.” She and her husband were in a bad accident last year and she is still recovering and looking forward to getting back to the group.
Carol Hoffman of Sterling originally approached SSC director Veronica Buckley to find out if the center could start a uke group. Buckley said if she could get 20 people signed up, they would do it.
“I think it makes us all happy. Music is a good medicine,” she said.
Hoffman has a large library of songs and sends them out to the members.
Nancy Pierce of Sterling, who leds the 2:00 PM Thursday uke group, said, “I just think it’s such a good thing for seniors. Sometimes they have arthritis. lt just helps them so much to be active, and using their fingers. It keeps them moving and a little more nimble,” she said.
The first ukulele class at the Sterling Senior Center (SSC) was taught by Lou Valentino in April of 2007. Their first performance was a month later to play “Happy Birthday” at Ken Day’s 100th birthday party.
In 2018, Valentino offered an entry-level ukulele class at the SSC and a self-directed group began open strumming on Mondays. The Ukulele Club became Sterling Strummers.
Between mid-2017 and late-December 2019, they played fifteen performances at the SSC, Sterling Nursing Home, Sterling Fair, Sterling Craft Fair, Sterling Monthly Lunch, Sterling Tree Lighting, Sholan Farms Apple Festival, West Boylston Senior Center, Oakdale Nursing Home, Leominster Nursing Home and Lunenburg Senior Center. The Ukulele Club became the Sterling Strummers.
The group stopped live playing together during the height of the COVID pandemic, from March 2020 to March 2022. They recorded Christmas music in November 2020 at Sterling Gazebo for community access television. In August 2021, the restrictions loosened and the group got together to play at the SSC. They played while wearing masks at the Arts and Crafts Festival at the Gazebo.
In October 2021, more restrictions were lifted, allowing an inside group to 18 people, playing while wearing masks and sitting six feet apart. They played drive- thru Christmas performances at the SSC in December 2021. In March 2022, members could meet indoors without restrictions, with an option to wear a mask, social distance or join via Zoom.
“We have a new (song) theme each week. We don’t play the same songs over and over,” Dave Hatherley of Marlborough said. He has been a member for two and a half years, who plays with an electric ukulele at home. When a man listening expressed an interest in the music, Hatherley told him ukes come in four sizes. He encouraged him, quickly put a uke in his hands, and mentioned acquiring a decent, new, beginner ukulele online costs about $50. The man was excited at the prospect of coming back in the future.
Pierce was asked how supportive the SSC has been of the ukulele program.
“200%. They are wonderful to us setting us up outside under the tent in the summertime, helping setup and breakdown of tables. They copy our music for us and promote all classes in their monthly newsletter. They are great! This is such an active senior center which is all due to Veronica (Buckley) and her energy for sure,” she said.
Buckley has also taken care of getting starter ukuleles and performance shirts.
Zoom has made the group more accessible and draws players from all over, from Hawaii, Alberta, Canada and Merrimack, NH, Pierce said.
“It’s just a fun instrument to play. It’s easy to carry around, easy to learn. It has just four strings. You are only playing three or four chords per song,” said Pierce, who got her first uke when she lived in Hawaii.
The Sterling Strummers will get you singing, make you laugh and help forget your troubles for a while. They are a very welcoming group. They love what they are doing and are eager to share their love and enthusiasm. You can see them perform May 14 on Sterling Common and at the Lunenburg Senior Center on July 11.
The Sterling Senior Center hosts an entry-level, Thursday class at 1:00PM to 1:45 PM from September to June. For more information, contact Joan at jonesy1932@aol.com. Lender ukes are available. Classes are free. Open strumming is offered Mondays at 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Sterling Strummers meets Thursday from 2:00 to 3:00 PM year-round with a Zoom option. Contact Nancy at nacyhp246@gmail.com for more information.